Empyema drainage device.



No. 733,152. PATENTED JULY '7, 1903. M. GHISHOLM. EMPYEMA DRAINAGE DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. so, 1902.

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No. realta Patented July 7, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MURDOCH CHISHOLM, OF HALIFAX, CANADA.

MPYEMA DRAINAGE DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,152, dated July 7, 1903.

Application filed August 30, 1902. Serial No. 121,591. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, MURDocH CHIsHoLM, a citizen of Canada, residing at Halifax, in the Province of Nova Scotia and Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Empyelna Drainage Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to empyema drainage devices-z'. e., devices for draining pus, ttc., from cavities of the body; and it has for its general object to provide a drainage device calculated to permit the free escape of air, pus, ttc., from between the lung and chestwall of a patient and, when required, preclude the entry of air, this with a view of enabling the lung to quickly expand, so that the cavity between it and the chest-wall disappears.

XVith the foregoing in mind the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of a device constituting one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2, a view, partly in plan and partly in section, of the same with the soft-rubber disk in position; Fig. 3, an elevation of the outer end of the device; Fig. 4, an enlarged detail section taken in the plane indicated by the broken line 4L a of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a diametrical section of a device constituting a modification of the invention; and Fig. 6, a view similar to Fig. l, illustrating the device as it appears when the valve is omitted.

Referring by letter to the said drawings,and more particularly to Figs. l to t thereof, A is a tube of metal or other suitable material having a flange or enlargement a at its outer end; B, a iiexible tube of rubber or other suitable material secured on the end of tube A; C, a non-return valve arranged to permit the free escape ot' air, pus, rbc., from the body of a patient and preclude the entry of air, and D a guard arranged over the valve and having for its purpose to prevent the dressings on a patient from interfering with the free operation of the valve or in the absence of a valve (see Fig. 6) from choking the tube. The valve is preferably a strip of oiled silk connected at one end by a drop of collodion or other adhesive to the outer' side of the iiange a, and its free portion is arranged over the outer end of the tube and between the same and the cross-bar of the guard D,as best shown in Fig. l. The said guard D is formed integral with the flange a or connected at its ends to the same, as desired.

As will be readily appreciated, a valve constructed and arranged in the manner described is extremely sensitive, and consequently may when it is protected by the guard D be depended upon to permitthe free escape of air, pus, rbc., from between the lung and chest-Wall of a patient and yet elfectually prevent the entry of air. It will also be observed that the said valve is adapted to be readily removed from the device and as readily reapplied thereto when desired.

In the practical use of my improved device the tube is placed in an incision in the chestwall of the patient, when the liexible or soft port-ion B thereof will serve to receive the air, pus, dsc., from the cavity between the lung and chest-wall, and this without liability of the lung being irritated or injured. At each exhalation or cough of the patient air and discharges will be forced through the tube and past the valve; but at the commencement of each inhalation the valve will seat tightly over the outer end of the tube, and thereby preclude thepassage of air to the cavity between the lung and the chest-Wall. The guard in the absence of the valve (see Fig. 6) is of importance in preventing the dressings from choking up the tube by forming a space around its outer end to receive the solid parts of the discharges and to increase the internal area of the surrounding dressings for absorption. In virtue of this the lung is permitted to quickly expand, so that the space between it and the chest-wall .disappears and the cure of the patient is pro- ICO u ucsb..."

the patient. The said disk E is by preference removably arranged on the tube A, this in order that gauze may be used around the tube for several days after the tube is placed in the chest, and then if the lung fails to expand the disk E may be arranged on the tube A and used instead of the gauze.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 5 a flexible rubber tube B" is formed integral with a tlange a', and a guard D', having a nipple A", which enters the tube B, is suitably secured to the outer side of the ange. The valve C of this modified construction is suitably connected to the outer side of the flange a. and its free portion is disposed between the outer end of the tube and the cross-bar of the guard D in the manner and for the purpose before described.

It is obvious that when desired the valve may be omitted from the modified construction, as well as from the construction shown in Figs. l to 4.

I haveentered into a detailed description of the construction and relative arrangement of the parts embraced in the present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exact understanding of the same. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confining myself to such specific construction and relative arrangement of parts, as such changes or modifications may be made in practice as fairly fall within the scope of my claims. p

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. An empyema drainage-tube having a flange at its outer end, a flexible portion of rubber or other soft material at its inner end, a

a soft-rubber disk of larger diameter than the flange, arranged at the inner side of the iiange, and having an aperture snugly receiving the tube.

3. An empyema drainage-tube, open at its opposite ends, and having one end adapted to be inserted in the body, and also having an inwardly-seating valve at its opposite end, and an exterior guard arranged over said end and valve.

4. An empyenia drainage-tube having a liange at its outer end, a valve-guard on the outer side of the iiange, and a cl'ack, non-, return valve connected 'at one end to the iange, and having its free portion disposed between the outer end of the tube and the guard.

5. An empyema drainageftube, open at its opposite ends, and having one en d adapted to be inserted in the body, and also having a non return valve arranged to seat toward the latter end. Y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MURDOCH CHISI-IOLM.

Witnesses:

W. MCLAUCHLAN, J. J. MCLAUGHLIN. 

